The Republican journal., 1887-05-05
A Scholars Opportunities.

Emerson tells us that scholar is the
favorite of heaven and the happiest of
men. His duties lead him directly into
the holy ground where other mems aspi-
rations only point. And yet how many
place different estimate upon the
scholars profession How many fail to
visit the highest courts of philosophy ?
1t was expected when the feudal straps
of Europe were snapped asunder, that
nature, too long the mother Of dwarfs,
would produce a brood of Titans who
should scale the highest cliff of mental
possibility. But the American mind is
too much interested in business and
pleasure to seek for the true cause of all
manifestations of power.
The resources of the scholar are as
extensive as nature and truth, yet can
never be hisUnless claimed by him with
an equal greatness of mind. Man should
not feel that he has come into the world
mortgaged to ancient opinions and usages.
The sense of spiritual Independence is
like the lovely vanish of the dew where
by the old earth is made new every
morning and shining with the last touch
of the artists hand. The whole value of
history or biography is to increase our
self-trust, by demonstrating what man
can be and do. After becoming familiar
with the lives of the most eminent schUl-
ars we conclude there is a better way
than this indolent learning OF another.
We are ready to say, leave me alone and
| shall lind out for myself.
Still more do we owe to biography the
Notifications of our hopes Great mani
festations OF mind have existed in spite
of barroom, Jail, and all the parasites
which prey upon human society. The
fact that they existed. as We'll as their
writings, may we'll give us courage that
we may draw out Of the past genuine
life for the present hour. To feel the
value of these facts, of these lives, as oc-
casions of hope and provocation, Ole
must lightly ponder the mystery Of the
| common soul.
The youth intoxicated with this admi-
ration Of hero fails to see that it is only
projection of his own soul which he
admires. The difference of circumstances
is merely costume. am tasting the
Self-same life, its sweetness. its greatness,
its pain, which so admire in other men.
| The growth of the intellect is analogous
in all individuals. 1t is larger reception
OF the common soul.
Able men, in general, have good dis
positions and a respect for justice, be
cause an able man is nothing else than a
good, free, vascular organization where
into the universal spirit freely flows, so
that bis fund of justice is not only vast
but infinite. We should not think that
all thought is already set down in books,
but rather we should think that by far
the greater mass of literature is yet to
be written.
Men travel over the world to behold
the beauties of nature, and each presents
the scenery in new aspect. Each his
torian takes different view of the cur
rent of human action. When YOU think
you have acquired considerable knowl
edge, a single thought may reveal the
fact that truth is much higher than you
imagined and it is only a glimpse Of the
real essence that you caught. The true
scholar will feel that the richest romance,
the noblest fiction that was ever woven,
the heart and soul of beauty, lies enclosed
in human life. The good scholar will
learn the uttermost secret of toll and en-
| uut dLCt. llc Hldl u SClllus sllotii,l W.
cupy the whole space between God or
pure mind and the multitude of uneduca-
ted men. The scholar realizes that truth
can make even silence eloquent and
memorable. He will learn that it does
not much matter what he reads or what
he does-be a scholar and he shall have
a scholars part of everything. Bend to
the persuasion which is flowing to YOU
from every object of nature, to be its
tongue to the heart of man and to show
the besotted world how passing fair is
wisdom.
BE contented with little light SO it be
your own. Explore, and be neither child
ed nor tlattered out of you" position OF
perpetual inquiry. Why should you re-
nounce your right to traverse the star
lit desert of truth for any temporal com
fort Ask not who is the better for the
philosopher that conceals his accomplish
ments and hides his thoughts from the
waiting world. Hides his thoughts
Hides the sun and moon, Thought is
all light and publishes itself to the uni
verse. 1t will speak though you were
dumb. by its own miraculous organ. 1t
will impledge you to truth by the love
and expectation of generous minds BY
virtue of the laws of that nature which
is one and perfect it shall Yield every
sincere good that is in the SOIL, to the
scholar beloved of earth and heaven.
GEO. NJ. COLE.
LEIGH, NEB., April Is, 1oo1.